Our Story
Hi, we’re Andy and Suzanne. We’re the husband-and-wife team behind Sightwell.
We didn’t start out trying to be “developers.” In fact, we never planned to build a company like this at all. What we did have was a shared belief: that the old buildings and forgotten corners of a town still have life in them — and that with the right care, they can help communities thrive again.
The Building That Started It All
Our journey began with a building — not just any building, but one of the most historic and prominent structures on West Main Street.
Built in 1871 with beautiful Dundee cream brick fired just across the river at the old Haeger factory, it had once been the beating heart of downtown West Dundee — home to the town’s first dry goods store and bank, and over the years, a hub for countless community uses.
But like so many Main Streets, time had been unkind. By the 1980s, commerce had shifted to the outskirts of town, and these proud old buildings were left behind. The vibrancy faded. Once-grand structures that had anchored the community for over a century were listless and repurposed for low-level uses — small offices, private studios — a far cry from their original purpose.
The Moment That Changed Everything
We weren’t looking for a project that day. We were just two 28-year-olds driving home from pitching investors in Rockford for our new brewery. But as we rolled through West Dundee, something about this three-story building stopped us in our tracks.
It had a kind of built-in heritage you just can’t manufacture. A ready-made sense of place you couldn’t brand or buy. It was instant placemaking, just waiting for someone to care again.
Within a week, we had it under contract. It wasn’t perfect — windows had been bricked over, modern materials clashed with its historic character, and it was aching for restoration. But the bones were there. We didn’t see a fading building. We saw potential. And at that moment, whether we knew it or not, Sightwell was born.
How We Work
Every project we take on starts with a conversation — often over coffee — about what a place could be. Then we dig in:
- We listen first. What’s the story? What does the community need?
- We design with care. Our goal is to build things that feel like they belong.
- We collaborate. Whether it’s a village trustee, a local artist, or an investor, we believe the best work comes from working together.
Who We Are
Andy brings the vision — shaping deals, spotting potential in forgotten spaces, and dreaming big about what they can become.
Suzanne makes sure those dreams work in real life — and she has an unmatched talent for the finishing touches that make a place sing. One of her superpowers is knowing how to stage and refine a space so it doesn’t just look good on paper, but feels right when you walk through the door.
Truth be told, we both have a strong visual eye for design — and we’re not shy about hashing it out. (Yes, our shared passion for aesthetics sometimes leads to debates over the perfect paint color or the placement of a single chair. But that’s part of the magic: the best ideas win.)
Between us, we’ve spent decades in real estate development, hospitality, and placemaking. What drives us isn’t just building projects — it’s creating places we’d be proud to share with our own family, neighbors, and friends.